diff --git a/federationapi/queue/queue.go b/federationapi/queue/queue.go
index 63861e458..392737918 100644
--- a/federationapi/queue/queue.go
+++ b/federationapi/queue/queue.go
@@ -119,11 +119,11 @@ func NewOutgoingQueues(
 		} else {
 			log.WithError(err).Error("Failed to get EDU server names for destination queue hydration")
 		}
-		offset := time.Duration(5)
+		offset := time.Second * 5
 		for serverName := range serverNames {
 			if queue := queues.getQueue(serverName); queue != nil {
-				time.AfterFunc(time.Second*offset, queue.wakeQueueIfNeeded)
-				offset++
+				time.AfterFunc(offset, queue.wakeQueueIfNeeded)
+				offset += time.Second
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/keyserver/internal/device_list_update.go b/keyserver/internal/device_list_update.go
index 4b2b8c187..06b75d675 100644
--- a/keyserver/internal/device_list_update.go
+++ b/keyserver/internal/device_list_update.go
@@ -157,8 +157,12 @@ func (u *DeviceListUpdater) Start() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	offset := time.Second * 10
 	for _, userID := range staleLists {
-		u.notifyWorkers(userID)
+		time.AfterFunc(offset, func() {
+			u.notifyWorkers(userID)
+		})
+		offset += time.Second
 	}
 	return nil
 }